Thursday Think 'n' Share LXXXVI

I have no memory of a family home because there was none being a service family to start and then part of a construction family, we were renters, never being in one place more than two years. My dream place would have to be the one I'm in now, a live work artists loft about 1000 sq.feet with one large window and a skylight. I live a little rough but have only myself to please. The price is right and my pension easily covers all my expenses, I don't smoke, drink or use any drugs and basically get up every morning pleased with where I am. La Dolce Vita! Ciao, JWL

Why, looky here! John's posting away while off on spring break! I'm very impressed. I can barely manage to squeeze out one a week and you've got 'em all stored up! Sherck, you really are the bomb! I wonder if your dream home will be any different after your adventure? Certainly you'll know much more about how to get it. :)

I grew up in lots o' houses. My mom likes to move. I think it's 'cause folks need to change and that's her way of doin' it. Anyway, they were all quite beautiful, full of books and music and art, most of them big. One in WV had a name, "Wood Creek" and was *really* beautiful. It had a formal library that was octagonal with three sides being a bay window. It was all wooden with built-in bench seats at the two sides of the bay. The floor was also laid octagonally, and in the center, inlaid in multicolored woods, was a rendering of a ship. The books were shelved alphabetically by author. It was very easy to do school work. It was a wonderful house. 12 Pole Creek ran through the backyard, down a deep slope, and it was huge. About three miles downstream, it ran into the Big Sandy River. I loved the years we lived in WV.

Now, I live in an apartment in an apartment complex. It's the first time in my life I've lived in an apartment complex (almost). I don't mind it at all. After almost 20 years owning and living in "that beautiful little white house on the corner," the anonymity is kind of nice. The front is ground level but the back is elevated, as it's built on a deep slope overlooking a ravine. The picture header on my blog is taken from the back porch (I'll add a spring version as soon as there's enough growth to capture). It's like living in a tree house, even though we're in the city, and I love that a lot. We have a fireplace, which I totally love because the LWH didn't. I'm happy.

My dream house would most likely be in the mountains and kind of similar to John's. I'm thinking I'd like wind power too and to be built into a southern facing slope. I honestly don't think about it much because there are so many versions of it. I sometimes think I'd like to go to New Orleans and live in a funky Uptown bungalow. I would like my dream house, no matter where it is, to have a pottery studio including a gas kiln. I guess that's the dream. I really never think about a dream house but I spend a lot of time dreaming about a studio.

--I grew up in Connecticut, moving from house to house, apartment to apartment, pillar to post. My earliest memories are from the 40's when we lived in Naval housing project, upstairs. I guess the design was pretty standard; the other day here in California I drove past buildings that I immedialy could identify as military/government issue housing.

--I live in suburbia now, a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, fenced back yard. Quintessential middle class America. All that's missing is a white picket fence and a couple of kids. However, the neighbors next door have fulfilled that requirement.

--My dream house would have a close interface with nature: a brook running through the living room, or a tree sprouting through the roof of the solarium, and/or a house built underground, with skylights. Banks of plants everywhere, around every room, animals wandering in and out, and the abillity to turn on a hose and just clean everything with high pressure water (heh heh).

1. Growing up homes.

We moved a few times when I was growing up, so I'lll mention just 3 houses. One was a house built in 1780. It had a fireplace in every bedroom and a stone fireplace in the living room, with a secret hiding area in the back of this fireplace -- I think they used it to hide from British soldiers during the Revolution. It also had the original barn with the stone foundation. We lived here when I was a toddler. Another house, where we lived in my early elementary years was a 3 bedroom ranch style with woods on 3 sides of our lot. it had a bath and a half, a covered patio in back, a basement, and a fireplace in the living room. It had a one car garage. Both these houses were in Massachusetts, less than a mile from each other. The house I lived in my later elementary and HS years was a two story, 8 room home with 2 full and one half bath. There were four bedrooms, a large walk-in attic that was accessed through a normal door -- not one in the ceiling. It had a two car garage. There were two living rooms, one with a fireplace. There was a large backyard, with bordered with a dirt road iin back, with a large field, then woods behind. It had white siding and black shutters. Full basement

Home now.

A square, brick home with 2 large bedrooms. One bathroom. No basement or garage. Chain link fence on either side. Overgrown backyard three feet higher that the rest of the yard. Tiny front porch. In fixer upper condition.

Dream home;

Like John said, I would have one room to be a library, with floor to ceiling bookcases. There would be a bay window for my desk and computer equipment. A comfortable chair for reading. The library would be adjacent to my bedroom, which would have french doors leading to a large, covered balcony. The master bath would have his and her entrances, each with its own sink and toilet, with a large jacuzzi tub in the center. There would be a couple of extra bedrooms for guests, with a large bathroom for them. Also another bathroom with just a toilet, sink, and a shower stall. On the other side of the library would be comfortable living room with a fireplace. Another room would be a home theater. The kitchen would be close to the living room/home theater room. The house would have a wrap around porch. There would be a large garage connected to the house by an enclosed breezeway. That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. It would be on a secluded lot, with enough foliage on all sides for privacy. It would be a short drive to a city with all the amenities. This is just off the top of my head, as I've not thought about it in any great depth.

Growing up-Grandma's bungalow. A double, on the first floor, pre-teen. Teen years, a 3 bedroom, two bath brick bungalow with a breezeway and 2 car garage on a 1 acre suburban lot. My dad eventually built an in-law suite over the breezeway and garage. My first house being married was a 96 year old, 2 story, 3 bedroom, 1 bath, living room, dining room, basement, walk up attic. We redid the dining room with french doors going out to the deck. The last house being married was in the forest. Ranch with lots of paneling and a hideous orange plaid carpet in the entryway.

Now-Honey's house. What around here they call a miner's manor, built on a hillside. First floor large eat in kitchen and living room with built in book cases. Two bedrooms and a bath upstairs. An unusable attic. A shallow basement with a door out into the back yard patio. Two hours and it's cleaned top to bottom. 2 car detached garage at the back of the yard facing the alley.

Dream house-I really love this house. I think if I had money I would move it (or rebuild it) to more land and attach the garage, maybe add a half bath, some solar panels. Of course the older I get, the more attractive I find one floor ranches. After I left the forest, I found my needs were really small/simple, so I like my space that way.